analyze (v.)

c. 1600, of material things, "to dissect, take to pieces," from French analyser, from the noun analyse "analysis" (see analysis). Of literature, "examine critically to get the essence of," from 1610s; meaning in chemistry ("resolve a compound into elements") dates from 1660s. General sense of "to examine closely" dates from 1809; psychological sense is from 1909. Related: Analyzed; analyzing.